Nieuwe vormen van christelijk sociaal-politiek engagement

In: Tijdschrift voor Sociologie; België en zijn goden, Band 7, Heft 1-2

Abstract

Some new trends have emerged in Belgian Catholicism, concerning the political commitment of Christians and in the field of Peace. Both are related to the evolution of Belgian society: the growth of and crisis in the capitalist system and the increasing arms race. The Christians for Socialism movement is described in both the Flemish and French-speaking areas of the country, and the author tries to evaluate its strength and influence. The second part of the chapter is concerned with the participation of Christians in the peace movement. An analysis is made of the specifically christian organizations and of participation in other movements. In his conclusion, the author notes that the new orientation of such phenomena is linked to a class analysis adopted by some christian groups and to their desire to break away from the traditional cleavages of Belgian society.